Recipes — Pozole and Hominy Stews

Hominy is nixtimalized corn that has been treated with cal to release the vitamin niacin, making the grain healthier and easier to digest. Here’s how to cook hominy, also called posole. Our white corn posole/prepared hominy is the subject of one of the most confusing name systems in English and Spanish. Sometimes we share elements of our cultures across borders and they morph into something new. The best thing to do when you are talking about living cuisines is to relax and not get too caught up in what is “authentic.” What is pozole? When dried corn is cooked and...

When cooking chicken pozole, it’s best to use dark meat, as breasts can overcook in an instant. If you insist on using white meat, be sure to time the cooking and remove it after 25 minutes of gentle poaching. Legs and thighs are much more forgiving and, if you go over the suggested cooking times, it’s not generally a problem. You easily can cut a whole chicken into parts. I really like using chicken feet in the broth, and I save chicken backs in my freezer for just this kind of dish. There are no hard rules here. I know...

This is the classic pozole of central Mexico. You might find some regional or personal variances to the cuts of pork or the combination of chiles, but if I were bold enough to serve this to a Mexican grandmother (spoiler: I’m not) I’m confident that she would recognize this recipe as pozole. And personally, I would happily eat this dish anytime. Some families fry the chiles, as I’ve done; others just add the blended chile mixture to the broth. If you are lax about de-fatting your pork broth, avoid frying the chile paste or you’ll end up with a very...

I’m not calling this dish Pozole because the chiles used are smoked Spanish paprika and I have a hunch a lot of people would not go for calling this Pozole. So instead, it’s a stew! I doubt this kind of thing exists in Spain but it sure was a hit at my house so I think it will be in heavy rotation for a while, especially while we have this incredible Spanish paprika. I think shrimp and celery are a terrific combination. Four stalks might sound like a lot, but it cooks down and makes the shrimp very happy. 4...

There are many versions of pozole but one of my favorites is Pozole Blanco. Unlike other pozoles where chiles are a part of the broth, Blanco is broth, meat and hominy and the heat comes from salsa on the table, to be added by the diner. This means you need a really great broth, the kind you can only get by making it yourself. Traditionally, you’d have red chile powder, Mexican oregano and limes for serving but I love the purity and freshness of the Chile Manzano Salsa and there’s plenty of oregano in both the broth and the salsa....